Google needs some “developers, developers, developers”

As an aside, compare Microsoft’s stewardship of Windows with how Google has treated Android. Google has created a world class operating system in Android but they have done their hardware licensees a disservice when it comes to platform. Their software updates are severely fragmented, their store is difficult to navigate and lacks content and their app store is clogged with clones, pirates and viruses. As a result, Android owners buy less content and apps and Android app developers make far, far less money than do the developers for competing platforms.

This, I think, gets to the heart of the issue with Android: Google’s failure to court developers and provide a genuinely compelling platform for them to create great software. Google has relied on “open”, because that’s a selling point to some developers – but not to the majority.